Tag: sally hepworth

Book Review | Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

Posted February 17, 2026 by Haze in Book Reviews / 2 Comments

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild and thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects?

A thrilling page-turner of sisterhood, secrets, love, and murder by New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2026 52 Book Club Reading Challenge (Prompt #TBD: TBD)

The Reason

I borrowed a bunch of Hepworth’s books after loving the last one I read; The Good Sister.

The Quotes

“Even after all these years, yearning for the love and attention of someone who couldn’t give it to her was much more comfortable than actually receiving it.”

“Some people are so busy chasing perfection they don’t appreciate the wonders right in front of them”

“When cruelty becomes familiar in your tender, adolescent years, of course you start to become comfortable with it. You believe you deserve it. But you don’t.”

“When it came to vengeance, Miss Fairchild preferred to play the long game.”

The Narrator(s)

Jessica Clarke. I enjoyed her narration more than Barrie Kreinik’s for The Good Sister.

My Thoughts

I didn’t enjoy this one as much as The Good Sister but I thought it was pretty good too. I’m discovering that I often find the author’s stories predictable but I still really like their storytelling style and I’m happy to read more. It’s the psychological horror that gets me; the author writes those emotional scenes so well and I find myself feeling all the feelings. This book features motherhood, foster children, and the complicated issues that come with that. I loved the story overall, but I have to say that I found the last chapter unnecessary and unrealistic. It was a twist for shock factor but it doesn’t make sense to the story, in my opinion, and it not only weakens the shock factor but the whole psychological horror aspect. It was a great story up to that point.

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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Book Review | The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth

Posted October 11, 2024 by Haze in Book Reviews / 1 Comment

The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth

A twisty, compelling novel about one woman’s complicated relationship with her mother-in-law that ends in murder…

From the moment Lucy met her husband’s mother, Diana, she was kept at arm’s length. Diana was exquisitely polite, and properly friendly, but Lucy knew that she was not what Diana envisioned. But who could fault Diana? She was a pillar of the community, an advocate for social justice who helped female refugees assimilate to their new country. Diana was happily married to Tom, and lived in wedded bliss for decades. Lucy wanted so much to please her new mother-in-law.

That was five years ago.

Now, Diana has been found dead, a suicide note near her body. Diana claims that she no longer wanted to live because of a battle with cancer.

But the autopsy finds no cancer.
The autopsy does find traces of poison and suffocation.
Who could possibly want Diana dead?
Why was her will changed at the eleventh hour to disinherit both of her adult children and their spouses?

With Lucy’s secrets getting deeper and her relationship with her mother-in-law growing more complex as the pages turn, this new novel from Sally Hepworth is sure to add to her growing legion of fans.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 Audiobook Challenge

The Reason

I was in the mood for a mystery thriller and I’ve previously enjoyed another one of the author’s books.

The Quotes

“I worked hard for everything I ever cared about, & nothing I ever cared about cost a single cent.”

“Some people jumped in and tried to save someone who was in trouble; others did anything they could to save themselves.”

“Why bother having a child, if you’re not going to stick around and enjoy her?”

“Being poor and having to survive without my parents was the single most defining thing I’ve ever done. It showed me what I am capable of. As a mother, I think this is the most important gift you can give to your children. Unlike money, it can’t be taken away or lost.”

The Narrator(s)

Barrie Kreinik. I enjoyed her narration very much, I got very engrossed in the story.

My Thoughts

I’ve only read one other book by the author, The Soulmate, but I feel like she’s got an amazing grasp of the dynamics in familial relationships and the potential miscommunications that can arise between family. There’s nothing quite like family drama from having to interact with people who you don’t get along with but can’t avoid because family.

As with The Soulmate, nothing is quite as it seems, and I very much enjoyed the journey towards discovery. I feel that the beauty of this story isn’t in the mystery though, but in the family relationships. I loved reading about Lucy and her mother-in-law, Diana. I loved reading from their different POVs and looking at things from each of their perspectives. I don’t think either of them, or the other characters in the book, are necessarily people I would like, but it was interesting to read about them anyway.

I didn’t like this book as much as The Soulmate for satisfying my mystery craving, but it was still an enjoyable read.

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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Book Review | The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

Posted May 22, 2024 by Haze in Book Reviews / 0 Comments

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

A thrilling, addictive novel about marriage, betrayal, and the secrets that push us to the edge…

Picture a lovely cottage on a cliff, with sloping lawns, walking paths, and beautiful flowers. It’s Gabe and Pippa Gerard’s dream home in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect house hides something sinister. The tall cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Over the past several months, Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge.

Until one day, he doesn’t. When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral. . . .Did the victim jump? Was she pushed? And would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate . . . lie? As the perfect façade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel. Because sometimes, the most convincing lies are the ones we tell ourselves.

For the Reading Challenge(s):
2024 Library Love Challenge

The Reason

Several people in my online book club was reading it and I got enticed by their comments about it.

The Quotes

“Sometimes,” I said thoughtfully, “the road to our destination leads us in a direction we don’t want to take. But does it matter, in the end, if it gets us where we want to go?”

“We trust people based on the strangest, most arbitrary things, none of which have any bearing on whether or not you are inherently good.”

“The thing about marriage a lot of people don’t understand is that you don’t get everything. Some people get passion, others get security. Some get companionship. Children. Money. Wisdom. Status. Then there is trust and fidelity.”

My Thoughts

I loved the whole ride! There were so many twists and turns and you don’t know who to trust and what is actually going on. I really enjoyed speculating and coming up with the most outlandish theories, and yet there was a lot to the story that was meaningful and important. I loved that it spoke to relationship dynamics, blind love, communication, trust and fidelity. The characters were flawed and stupid and I loved that for the story. It’s very human, and we all do stupid things.

My Feels

This book made me frustrated and angry at times. I feel like there’s so much unnecessary tragedy and unresolved issues but I also recognize that sometimes you don’t get everything all wrapped up nicely. It worked out in the book and it was a great story and very well told. I had a lot of fun reading it!

My Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars.

Have you read this book? Would you read this book? Did you like the book or do you think you would like it?

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